Simple Magic
by Glisseo
Summary: “Just you and me, then, my darling,” Lily told her son happily. “Just you and me.” In the early hours of the morning, shortly before her death, Lily Potter spends some quality time with her son.


Lily and Harry Potter both woke early on the first of September. Lily crept out of bed silently, so as to not wake James, who was still sleeping soundly, arms thrown wide, sprawled over the bed. She smiled at the sight of him. Twenty-one years old, and he looked seventeen when he slept. It reminded her of happier times, when they had been younger, at the beginning of their relationship …

Harry's cot stood at the end of the bed. The tiny cottage, tucked into a quite beautiful area beneath one of the many rolling hills of Cumbria, was sweet and homely, but had only one bedroom, which meant that they all had to share. It was a shame, Lily mused, as she scooped her son into her arms, that once Harry got older, they would need to move. She loved this house so … coming back to it was a welcome break from the dusty old headquarters of the Order that had once belonged to Alice Longbottom's grandmother. Despite Alice's best efforts to brighten it up, it still held the indefinable air of being neglected for many years before Alice had come of age.

In Lily's arms, Harry let out a contented sigh, and Lily cradled him to her chest, cherishing the feeling of his warm little body tucked closely to hers. Harry was the most beautiful baby she had ever seen, and she was allowed to think that, because he was _hers_. Theirs.

"Do you want to go for a walk, sunshine?" she whispered in his ear. "Shall we have a little wander before Daddy wakes up?"

Harry let out another happy sigh, and Lily took that as a 'yes'. She bundled them both up in jumpers and scarves and hats; the August that had just passed hadn't been the nicest and there was still a bitter touch to the air. Once Harry was safely strapped in his pram, they left the house. The sky was streaked with pink; it was very early.

"Just you and me, then, my darling," Lily told her son happily. "Just you and me."

They walked slowly around the village, mother and son. Despite the early hour, a few elderly people that Lily knew by sight were already out, clutching fresh-out-of-the-oven loaves from the bakery and chatting merrily to whoever they passed. As Lily and Harry went by, two white-haired women gasped and cooed.

"What a lovely child," one said admiringly to Lily. "Beautiful eyes! Just like yours!"

"He's more like his father," said Lily, laughing, "but I was pleased that he got my eyes."

It was wonderful to be able to stop and chat to strangers without worrying that they would attack at any moment. For Lily felt quite safe in Grasmere, the village that she and James had settled in shortly before the birth of their son. Despite the danger that roved around them, despite the prophecy that had been made possibly concerning their baby, Harry's arrival had changed a lot of things. Calmed them down. Made them start seeing life's riches.

Ten years from now, Harry would - quite probably - be getting ready to board to Hogwarts Express, preparing for his first year at the greatest school of witchcraft and wizardry. Would the danger have passed by then? Would he learn under Albus Dumbledore, the man who could instill calm in even the simply hysterical?

Would they have lost even more of their numbers? Marlene McKinnon, a woman whom Lily had grown to like very much, had been murdered a month before, along with her husband, children and sisters. Would it next be Sirius, James's brother in all but blood? Or Frank and Alice Longbottom, who were like family to Lily?

This was living life on the edge, and it was terrifying.

"Dear?" The women were still talking. "I was just saying to Doreen here, you look so young, if you don't mind us being nosy -"

"Not at all." Lily smiled reassuringly, snapping out of her thoughts. "I'm twenty-one, twenty-two in January."

"So young," Doreen repeated, shaking her head sympathetically, and Lily realised that they thought she had not had a choice in Harry …

How wrong they were.

Harry had been a little miracle in their stressed, battle-worn lives. The day Lily had discovered that she was pregnant was the day that she had started seeing life clearly. It had been a blur before; it had seemed like one minute she was Head Girl of Hogwarts and being asked out by James Potter and worrying about exams, and the next she was joining a secret army against the Darkest wizard for a hundred years and getting married a mere month after becoming engaged. Harry had slowed things down. There was a child in the equation now, an innocent baby who had his whole life ahead of him. And when Lily looked at Harry, when she thought of all he had to look forwards to … his first piece of magic … buying his wand … a first glimpse of Hogwarts … best friends … a first kiss … _love_, that marvellous feeling that filled you with so much warmth and fiery joy …

They had been nineteen when Lily had become pregnant, and some had said it was too young, but Lily's parents had just been happy to see their youngest daughter so full of life, and James's friends - who _were_ his family since his parents had passed away at the beginning of 1979 - had been thoroughly supportive and overexcited about a kid to spoil and teach the rules of Quidditch and tell stories to. Lily only hoped that Harry would not set out to be as big a troublemaker as his father and godfather had been …

In his pram, Harry let out a laugh like a bubbling stream, and Lily was by his side in an instant, kneeling beside him. Every sound was precious, every expression one for the photograph album …

"What is it, my darling?" she asked eagerly, while Doreen and her friend made adoring noises. "What's funny?"

"_Daddy!" _Harry crowed, pointing a chubby finger in the direction of their cottage. Lily looked, and saw James making his way across the village green, hands shoved in pockets, wearing a t-shirt despite the cold morning air; breath left white puffs floating serenely before them. Lily's heart swelled.

James strode towards them, a grin spreading over his face, and he reached his wife and son in a few steps, his long legs making short work of the distance, and in an instant he had Harry and Lily in his arms, and they were compact, a bond -

"I think we'll make ourselves scarce, shall we, dearie?" said Doreen loudly, over the thudding of Lily's heart.

_OK, so _**after** _I wrote this I checked my facts and I think you can guess that probably wasn't the best idea. So I thought I'd just add this that is officially _**not** _canon, because in fact Lily and James went into hiding in Godric's Hollow when Lily became pregnant. I'm not sure why I didn't remember this! But oh well, there are worse destructions of JKR's canon out there ... _


End file.
